Category: Newsroom Sidebar

Hello, CarbonWA friends: Today’s message launches the first of a multi-part series looking ahead to the climate politics of 2018. We’ll be covering the political prospects for legislative action, initiatives, and more!

The Landscape

The last legislative session was a golden opportunity to pass a price on carbon: both parties knew they needed to raise revenue to fund education, our efforts over multiple years proved that there is at least some interest in carbon pricing from both parties, and the looming threat of another ballot initiative — from the Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, or CarbonWA — all increased the pressure to address climate. While we think there were enough votes to pass a climate package, that didn’t come to pass for reasons we outlined in July.

Looking ahead, the prospects this legislative session look even tougher for a few reasons:

“Carbon Washington is shocked and saddened by President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. His abdication of federal responsibility leaves a void of conservation leadership which states and cities must fill. We call on the Washington State Legislature to enact a price on carbon pollution, along with other measures to accelerate the transition to a vibrant clean energy economy, during the current legislative session.

“This is a pivotal moment for our elected leaders to show the nation that bipartisan action to tackle urgent problems is still possible in America. And it is an opportunity to demonstrate to the children of Washington State, and the greater world, that their futures matter. Together, we owe them a livable climate and the opportunity for a healthy, prosperous life. Let’s get to work.”

Here are some other statements concerning the responsibility of states and cities to lead the way on clean energy and carbon reduction:(more…)

CNN’s John Sutter came to Seattle and British Columbia to report on Initiative 732 (and carbon taxes in general). It’s part of his series on how to keep the planet from warming more than 2 degrees Celsius. Here’s part of his story on CNN.com:

“Washington’s Initiative-732 would make a bad thing — pollution — more expensive by putting a tax on each ton of carbon dioxide created by cars, power plants and the like.

“More importantly, doing so would throw economic muscle behind clean energy, shorter commutes, cleaner air and smarter cities. It would use the market, not regulations, to choose winners and losers in the clean tech race. It would help Washington state, in the apt words of the initiative’s promoters, fulfill its moral responsibility to leave a livable planet for future generations. And it plans do so without wrecking the economy or growing government.”